All Will Be Well:
30 Days with Julian of Norwich
John Kirvan (Editor)
ISBN 9781594711510
eISBN 9781594715112
ASIN B072Z9YG6G
TThis is the fifth volume in the Great Spiritual Teachers series I have read, Last year I read Born to Do This: 30 Days with Joan of Arc by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, and loved it and the concept of the series. I and studied about Julian both academically and personally; I was excited to work my way through this volume. I picked this as the next in the series to read because of this specific saint, though I do hope to read all that are currently in print and track down the out of print volumes to read as well.
The description of this volume states:
“Drawing deeply from the wisdom writings of medieval English mystic Julian of Norwich, All Will Be Well welcomes even spiritual newcomers to the spirituality of this fourteenth-century visionary who was well ahead of her time.”
About the series we are informed:
“Each book in the Great Spiritual Teachers series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity's most beloved spiritual guides. For each day there is a brief and accessible morning meditation drawn from the mystic's writings, a simple mantra for use throughout the day, and a night prayer to focus one's thoughts as the day ends. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.”
The sections in this volume are:
Timeline
Who is Julian of Norwich?
How to Use This Book
Thirty Days with Julian of Norwich
One Final Word
I believe there are 15 volumes in this series currently in print, and a several that are currently out of print. The oldest I have seen are from the mid 90’s and it looks like they went through a rebranding and format change in the mid 00’s, and they have undergone yet another rebranding in the 2020’s including some new titles available in the series. I must admit I do not recall running across this series prior to that first volume on Joan. I have however added a number of them to my ‘to be read list’. I love the most recent rebranding, and hope Ave Maria completes the rebranding across all volumes. But back to this work.
While reading this I only highlighted a few passages, they were:
“As Julian reflected upon her experiences over the years, she became more and more willing to trust them and to use them almost as sacred texts along with the scriptures. Like many mystics her direct experience of God allowed her to correct the dominant spirituality of her day and align the Christian community more with the original revelation of Jesus.”
“She trusted that God was truly revealing himself to her. This leads her not to contradict church teaching, but to refocus the emphasis upon salvation and love rather than on law and justice.”
“God’s courtesy makes God supremely respectful of us, patient with our failings, considerate of our freedom. It makes God incredibly appealing and close to us, as well. How can we not love a God who is so solicitous of us?”
“God will not make people enter the kingdom against their will. But we do not have to believe that anyone has ever made the choice of denying the power of love.”
“Julian may have been an anchoress shut up in a cottage, but that cottage opened upon a walled garden as well as a busy street. The love of creation and human society fills her work. Her joy is contagious; it overflows.”
“We have some suggestions for how you can make the most of this journey. But keep in mind that these books are meant to help you experience the freedom and joy of communing with God in prayer. The daily format is there to help—but don’t hesitate to go at your own pace or take your own route! Repeat a day as often as you like, or skip a day if the reading isn’t resonating with where you are in your journey. The goal is to hear the voice of God through the words of the saints.”
“God our Comforter, show me how you guide me through my life not only in my joys and virtues, but even when I choose wrong paths and am weak. Give us hope that in the midst of denial and darkness, your love still holds us readily and sweetly, guiding us home.”
“Loving Father, I bring to you all my faults and especially my wrath. I see my anger leads to a dreadful failing, a shameful falling, and a sorrowful dying. But in this dying, I trust your mercy to continually work to protect me, even against myself, and to turn everything to good for us.”
“All Through the Day God wants us to trust that he is always with us.”
“Lovely Mother, help me to relax into the state of being a child. Let me rely upon you for my well-being, and make me run to you for comfort. May I feel my helplessness and rejoice in your presence, knowing that you will lift me up into our Father’s bliss.”
“Lord Jesus, I am honored to have you make my spirit your dwelling place. Help me to appreciate your delight in me. May my actions toward my neighbors always mirror your love.”
“Night Prayer Lord, increase my faith and trust in your good intentions for us. Help me to go about my life confident that whatever happens to me will ultimately work out for the best, and help me to praise your goodness in all times and places.”
The last section of the book One Final Word states:
“This book was created to be nothing more than a gateway—a gateway to the spiritual wisdom of a specific teacher, and a gateway opening on your own spiritual path.
You may decide that Julian of Norwich is someone whose experience of God is one that you wish to follow more closely and deeply. In that case, you should get a copy of the entire text of Showings and pray it as you have prayed this gateway retreat.
You may decide that Julian’s experience has not helped you. There are many other teachers. Somewhere, there is the right teacher for your own, very special, absolutely unique journey of the spirit. You will find your teacher; you will discover your path. We would not be searching, as St. Augustine reminds us, if we had not already been found.”
A sample reflection is:
“DAY THIRTEEN
My Day Begins
Our Father’s pity and compassion were for Adam,
his loved creature, when he fell.
His joy and happiness were for his dearly loved Son,
who is equal with the Father.
The merciful gaze of his face
ranged over all the world,
and descended with Adam into hell,
and this unceasing compassing
preserved Adam from eternal death.
This same mercy and compassion abide with us
until we are drawn up to heaven.
But we are blinded in this life,
and cannot behold God, our Father, as God is.
And when out of his kindness
he desires to show himself to us,
he shows himself in great simplicity,
as a human being.
However, I saw quite clearly
that we should not assume
that the Father is a creature.
But his sitting on the bare and wasted earth
means this: God made our spirit
to be his own city and resting place.
Of all creation
this is most pleasing to him.
And when we had fallen into grief and suffering,
we were not suited to that noble office.
But our kind Father
would not ready any other place to dwell.
Instead, he sat upon the ground,
waiting for humanity,
itself mixed with clay,
until such time as through grace,
his beloved son had restored to this city
its noble beauty
through his tremendous labor.
All Through the Day
The merciful gaze of his face ranged over all the world.
My Day Is Ending
God reveals himself to us in the human face and form.
How did you catch a sense of God today
in the people you met?
Call up the image of God,
sitting on the barren ground in exile
awaiting Christ to bring back his city—our spirit.
Join with the longing, passion, and love of God
in this exile.
Simply remain with this image in your heart
for a time.
Let it reveal God’s endless love for humanity
and for you in particular.
Night Prayer
Dearest friend,
help me sense your longing for me.
May your exile from the human spirit
inspire in me an equal desire
for your presence within me.
And I give thanks for Jesus, your son,
who by his hard work,
has brought back your city, my spirit,
into its noble place of beauty.”
I hope those quotes and sample day give you a feel for this book, and this series. I really enjoyed working through this volume. I have enjoyed all 5 in the series I have read, but this and the first have really hit home to me. I will likely do a volume a month over the next year and read all those I can track down. I did enjoy this volume very much.
This is a great book that any Catholic would benefit from reading. I can easily recommend this volume and look forward to reading others in the series.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books in the Great Spiritual Teachers Series:
Abide in love: the Gospel spirituality of John the Evangelist – John Kirvan
Draw Ever Closer - Henri J. M. Nouwen and Robert M. Hamma
Fear Not the Night - John of the Cross and John Kirvan
God Awaits You Based on the Classic Spirituality of Meister - Richard Chilson
Grace Through Simplicity - Evelyn Underhill and John Kirvan
Hope Without Borders: 30 Days with Frances Xavier Cabrini - Amy J. Cattapan
Let There Be Light - Hildegard of Bingen and John Kirvan
Living in the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence and John Kirvan
Love Without Measure - Mother Teresa and John Kirvan
Peace of Heart - Saint Francis of Assisi and John Kirvan
Rejoice in the Lord - Augustine of Hippo and Trenton Mattingly
Set Aside Every Fear - Catherine of Siena and John Kirvan
That you may have life: let the mystics be your guide for Lent - John Kirvan
True Serenity - Thomas a Kempis and John Kirvan
We Are Beloved - Thea Bowman and Karianna Frey MS
Where Only Love Can Go - The Cloud of Unknowing and John Kirvan
You Shall Not Want: The Psalms - Richard Chilson
…
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